Note: There are a couple minutes of overlap between the end of part 2 and the beginning of part 3.
Description: Jelly Belly is a comedy about a fat Sansei man, not an autobiography. It is an expression, rather than a statement about growing up fat. Audiences will see two fat people, a formerly fat person, a person who has never been fat, and finally, a girl who's not even aware that "fat" can be an all-consuming obsession in people's lives. The audience will also see a tiny slice of life- a minuscule portion taken from a seventy pound overweight named Myron Hotei. Myron is a person who is struggling to accept his physical condition. Other people's opinions shape his self-image; he's tolerant of "put-downs" and eventually is convinced that he deserves the belittling he receives. His struggle for a positive image is continually breached by people's attitudes and their ammunition: "fatty", "fatso", "beached whale", "hippo", "blimp", "piglet", "porky", "waddles", "lard gut", "thunder thighs", "jelly belly" and a long string of others. Familiar? This is what poor Myron has to deal with, or for that matter, anyone overweight. He has a condition of ridicule, prejudice, discrimination and abuse. (From "Author's Notes" in Jelly Belly playbill).
Call Number: V0044/UM-V0047/UM
Source: 4 Tapes of 4: 3/4 inch videotape
Rights: Copyrighted. The artist of any work retains all rights to that work. Copyright has not been assigned to the Regents of the University of California. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. No further reproduction is permitted without prior written permission by the artist or copyright holder.
Collection Guide:
Asian American Theater Company Archives
